Assessment of Oral Feeding Readiness Among Preterm Infants | ||||
| Assiut Scientific Nursing Journal | ||||
| Article 12, Volume 5, Issue 10, April 2017, Page 116-121 PDF (444.28 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/asnj.2017.58472 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Atiat Ahmed Osman1; Eman Sayed Ahmed2; Farouk El Sayed Hassanein3; Hend Sayed Mohamed4; Debra Brandon5 | ||||
| 1Assistant Lecturer, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, South Valley University, Egypt | ||||
| 2Professor of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt. | ||||
| 3Professor of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Egypt. | ||||
| 4Lecturer, Department of Pediatric Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt. | ||||
| 5Associate Professor, Director PhD and Postdoctoral Programs, Duke University School of Nursing, USA | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Being born preterm presents numerous challenges for the preterm infant including neurodevelopmental immaturity, physiologic instability, and behavioral state disorganization. In this context, there are often challenges with the initiation and achievement of full oral feedings. Recognition and support of oral feeding readiness may accelerate feeding progression period and decrease length of hospital stay (LOS), thereby reducing healthcare costs. Supporting effective cue-based oral feeding through use of rigorous assessment or evidence-based care guidelines can optimize the hospital experience for infants and caregivers. Aims: This study aimed to assess premature infant’s readiness level at the beginning of oral feeding. Identify factors that contributed to readiness in premature infants. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional design used in this study. Subjects: A convenience sample of 75 stable premature infants recruited from five neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Assuit city, Egypt. Infants’ gestational age ranged from 30 to ≤ 32 weeks post menstrual age (PMA). Tools: Infant’s readiness assessed directly after oral feeding was introduced by using Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment scale (NOMAS). Results: Majority of the premature infants showed feeding readiness behavior (74.7%) when they received their first oral feeding. No relationship between infants’ gestational age at birth or weight and readiness behavior was observed. Conclusion: Most of infants had high level of readiness when oral feeding was initiated, correlation between infant’s characteristics and readiness level were not significant. Recommendations: Encourage clinician to use standard measure as NOMAS to early assess readiness behavior of premature infants. And address NOMAS as a routine process in NICUs | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| preterm infants; Oral Feeding; Readiness & NOMAS | ||||
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